Electronic trading is generally based on a host exchange, one or more computer networks, and client devices. In general, the host exchange includes one or more centralized computers to form the electronic heart. Its operations typically include maintaining an exchange order book that records unexecuted orders, order matching, providing price and order fill information, and managing and updating a database that records such information. The host exchange is also equipped with an external interface that maintains contact to the client devices and possibly other trading-related systems.
Sometimes, on their machines, traders use automated or semi-automated trading tools, collectively hereinafter referred to as automated tools that automatically or semi-automatically send orders to the exchange. Such trading tools are usually provided, among other things, to facilitate fast and accurate order entry. For instance, an automated tool might quickly calculate one or more order parameters, such as order price or order quantity, based on market conditions, or some other reference condition, and then automatically send an order with these parameters to an exchange for matching. According to many existing and popular exchanges today, orders are electronically entered in an exchange order book in the sequence in which they are received (a first-in, first-out, commonly referred to as FIFO matching system). Based on this sequence, and the availability of market quantity, orders are filled with priority given to the first order entered, then the second (next) order entered, and so forth. It should be understood that different variations of FIFO or different matching systems altogether can be used as well.
In addition to trading individual tradeable objects, many traders often implement trading strategies that involve simultaneous trading of two or more tradeable objects. One such trading strategy is commonly referred to as spread trading. In general, spread trading is the buying and/or selling of one, two, or more tradeable objects, one purpose of which is to capitalize on changes or movements in the relationships between the tradeable objects. The tradeable objects that are used to complete a spread are referred to as the outright markets or legs of the spread. A spread trade involves buying tradeable objects, buying and selling tradeable objects, selling tradeable objects or some combination thereof.
As used herein, the term “tradeable object” refers to anything that can be traded with a quantity and/or price. It includes, but is not limited to, all types of traded events, goods and/or financial products, which can include, for example, stocks, options, bonds, futures, currency, and warrants, as well as funds, derivatives and collections of the foregoing, and all types of commodities, such as grains, energy, and metals. The tradeable object may be “real,” such as products that are listed by an exchange for trading, or “synthetic,” such as a combination of real products that is created by the user. A tradeable object could actually be a combination of other tradeable objects, such as a class of tradeable objects.
A commercially available trading tool that facilitates the automatic trading of spreads is AUTOSPREADER™ from Trading Technologies International, Inc. of Chicago, Ill. Once the legs of the spread are chosen and the relationship between them are defined, a user can input a desired spread price and quantity, and the AUTOSPREADER™ will automatically work orders in the legs to achieve the desired spread (or attempt to achieve the spread). The AUTOSPREADER™ is currently an add-on tool available with X_TRADER® Pro™, which is a trading application also available from Trading Technologies International, Inc.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/137,979, entitled “System and Method for Performing Automatic Spread Trading,” filed on May 3, 2002, the contents of which are fully incorporated by reference herein, describes an automated spread trading tool. An example also is provided herein to illustrate how an automated spread trading tool like that described in the above incorporated application might work. While the example illustrates hedging in a related tradeable object, the same concepts can be similarly applied to hedging in the same tradeable object.
Typically, when a trader enters a desired spread order price based on the provided spread data, an automated spread trading tool will use spread setting parameters defined by the trader to place an order in the legs of the spread. As the markets in each leg move, individual spread leg orders are re-priced by an automated spread trading tool to achieve the desired price defined for a synthetic spread. Re-pricing of orders generally involves sending a change request to the exchange, where the change request defines a new price for the order. Alternatively, a cancel/replace request could be used to re-price orders pending at exchanges that do not support change requests. As one of the orders of the spread fills, one or more other orders that fill subsequently function as offset (hedge) orders. In an alternative embodiment, rather than having all spread orders simultaneously working in each leg of the spread, a spread trading tool could enter one or more offset orders upon detecting a fill in one of the legs of the spread.
While spread trading is one trading strategy where hedge orders are used, there are many other manual or automated trading strategies where hedge orders are sent upon detecting a fill in the same or different tradeable object. It is desirable to offer tools that can assist a trader in trading in an electronic trading environment, and specifically in tracking orders entered in relation to trading strategies.